Viral weight loss medicine semaglutide, which is available under the trade names Ozempic and Wegos, may help slow the process of biological aging, the researchers said.
A series of studies presented Friday at the European Society of Cardiology conference found that expensive drugwhich was originally marketed as a diabetes treatment, reduced inflammation regardless of whether users lost weight, The Times of London reported.
According to the report, Harlan Krumholz, a professor of medicine at Yale University who edits the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, where the studies were published, said the drug “sort of quiets inflammation,” adding that the benefit was “broad … there is no group that she did not appear to benefit.’
“It’s a fountain of youth … I would say if you substantially improve someone’s cardiometabolic health, then you put them in a position to live longer and better,” he continued.
“It’s not just about avoiding heart attacks. These are health promoters. I wouldn’t be surprised if improving people’s health in this way actually slows down the aging process,” he added.
Experts have also suggested the drug could be used to treat a number of conditions linked to inflammation, including cancer, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, according to the Times of London.
Studies were included Select a trial version which followed 17,604 adults aged 45 or older for up to five years who received a once-weekly injection of 2.4 mg of semaglutide or a placebo.
Participants were overweight or obese and had cardiovascular disease but no history of diabetes.
The researchers found that those who used the drug died at a lower rate from all causes BBC reported.
Danish company Novo Nordisk, manufacturer Ozempic and the Wegosalready reported the main results of the study in August of last year, saying that semaglutide 2.4 mg reduced the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events by 20% in overweight or obese adults in the study.
Semaglutide is the active ingredient in Ozempic. It works by mimicking GLP-1, a hormone produced by the gut that helps balance blood sugar and makes you feel full.
Weight loss medications like Ozempic come with serious risks side effectsincluding vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain.
Some doctors have warned against buying and using such drugs without medical supervision.
Vicky Price, an emergency physician and president-elect of the Society for Emergency Medicine, previously said some of the more dangerous potential side effects of diet pills bought online include “serious, life-threatening complications” such as “inflammation of the pancreas and changes in blood salt levels, “per The Times of London.
Stephen Powis, Medical Director of the National Health Service (NHS) in England warned people against using such drugs as a “quick fix” to “get your body ready for the beach”.
“We know these new drugs will be a powerful part of our obesity arsenal, but they should not be abused. Buying drugs online without a doctor’s supervision can lead to complications and dangerous consequences,” he said in June.